Printing-machine.



H. J. PLANT.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. I917.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

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llnwmmtcmlrg H. J. PLANT.

PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATIQN FILED JULY 10.1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onrcE.

HENRY J. PLANT, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 DEFIANCE CHECKWRITER CORPORATION, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

PRINTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct, 15, 1918s Application filed July 10, 1917. Serial No.179,636.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY J. PLANT, acitizen of the United. States, and resident of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful,Improvements in Printing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to printing machines, and moreparticularly to the type in which the workis fed in the direction of theprinting line by a movement in the printing member to carry the workalong with said member, an object of this invention being to provide aconstruction, in which the printing member moves relatively to a platen,while cooperating with the latter so as to shift the work on the platenwithout any movement in such platen. Another object of the invenstion isto provide in a construction operating as mentioned, cotiperating faceson the platen and the printing member so formed that the Work is held tothe printing member while permitted to move freely on the platen. An-

other object of the invention is to provide in a rintin machine in whichthe rintin p a element moves in the direction of the printing line, asimple form of mechanism for moving the laten toward the printing memherand hol ing it in such position niitil the -30 end of the feedi'ngmovement of the printing member is completed.

To these and other ends the invention consists of certain parts andcombinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, thenovel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a" horizontal section through a \printingmachine embodying the present invention; v

' Fig. 2 is a vertical section through such machine;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on theline H, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing thfia pllaten incoiiperation with the printing w ee Figs. 6 and 7am, respectively,afplan and a sectional view Of the platen; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view, showing the type of one of'the printing linesenlarged.

The invention is, in this instance, embodied in what is known as a checkwriter, or a machine for writing words into checks, or other negotiableinstruments, to represent an amount for which said instrument will bepayable. In the illustrated embodiment there is employed a printingelement or member 1, in the form of a type wheel. having on itsperiphery a plurality of parallel lines 2 of type, each line printin aword which maybe combined with war s printed by the other line, to writeinto a check any reasonable amount. In this instance, the type linesextend parallel with the axis of the printing wheel 1, and the latter ismount ed on a noncircular shaft 3, so as to move in the direction of theaxis of the shaft, but to turn with such shaft The shaft is preferablyjournalcd in the opposite sidewalls of the overhanging portion 4 of thecasing, the

overhanging portion projecting over a worksupporting plate 5 on the base.6 of the casing, from the rear edge of said work-supporting plate. Abottom plate 7 is provided on the overhanging portion and this bottomplate has an opening 8, over which'any one of the lines of type 2 on theprinting member 1 may be presented by turning the shaft 3 to move thelines transversely of their lengths. The turning of the shaft may beeffected by a hand wheel 9 arranged on the shaft on the exterior of theoverhanging portion, said hand wheel having a dial wheel 10 integraltherewith for cooperation with a fixed dial or indicator arranged on thecasing. The characters on the dial 10 correspending with the words onthe printing wheel, so that when anycharacter on the dial is broughtopposite the indicator a Word corresponding to said character ispositioned above the opening 8.

For cooperating with the printing element or member 1 an ink roller 11is provided. This roller may have flanges 12 at opposite edgescohpe'rating with the said face of the wheel 1, so that the roller willmove with the printing wheel 1 on an elongated shaft 13 extendingparallel with the shaft 3. The shaft 13 may be supported by a swingingarm 14-, on which a spring 1% acts The printing is effected by movingthe work, which has been supported upon a table 5, upwardly through theopening 8 into engagement with the type line disposed above saidopening. This movement of the Work is produced by a platen 16, whichoperates through a slot in the table 5 mounted for vertical movementwithin the base 6. In this instance, the platen is embedded in a block17 movable at its ends in guides 18 on opposite sides of the base 6, theblock 17 having depending portions 19 at opposite ends provided withinwardlyextending pins or projections 20, which lie in close proximityto horizontal guides 21. On these guides 21 a slide plate 22 is movable,said slide plate having notches 23 at opposite sides which receive thepins or projections 20 when the platen is in its lowermost position.WVhen the slide plate moves in one direction an inclined wall 24 of eachnotch or recess 23 acts as a cam which passes beneath the adjacentprojection 20 and elevates the latter so as to move the platen l6upwardly into contact with the type line 2 above the opening 8. Theplaten is so held until the projections 20 reach one edge of the slidewhen the platen will be depressed by the action of the spring arms Onthe return movement of the slide 22, cam faces at one edge of the slide.will engage the projections 20 and shift the plate 22 away from itsguides 21, thus permitting the plate to return to the position shown inFig. 2, without affecting the position of the platen 16. In order thatthe cam plate 22 may partake of the sliding and lateral movement, it ispreferred to mount the latter at one end of a rod 27, winch is guided at28 in the rear wall of the casing to partake of a longitudinal andslight rocking movement. A coil spring 29, anchored at one. end at 30 tothe base 6, and at the other end at 31 to the slide, tends to hold theslide plate 22 toward the mlides 20. and also to shift said slide 22 inone direction on the guides. The movement of the slide in the otherdirection preferably etl'ected by a crank arm 32 arranged on the(.Yl'tllnl oi the casing on a rock shaft 33, which, by a slotted arm 34,connects with a. pin 35 on the rod 27.

Movement of (in printing member in the direction oi the printing linemay be ell'ected in any suitable manner. in this instance. a slide 36 ismovable on the guides 37,- which. are parallel with the axis of rotationof the printing member, the movement of the slide being produced in thisembodiment by a .slotl'ed arm 38 mounted upon a vertical rock shal l ll)and engaging a pin ii on the slidc. The lower end ol' he rock aha l'thas a :dotted arm 42. which receives a pin iii on the rod 27. so thatwhen the rod 27 is moved roan wardly by the crank handle I32, the shalt40 will be lUtliLLl and transmit motion to the slide 36 which, in turn,transmits movement to the prnlting member.

Connection between the slide 36 and the printing member is soconstructed that the printing member notwithstanding a constant oruniform movement in the slide 86, will be moved "ariable distancescorresponding to the lengths of the words on such printing member. Thisis effected by providing the printing member with a plurality of groovesor notches H in its periphery, the ends 45 of these notches serving asstops which are located at diiferent distances from the common planeformed by one side of the printing wheel. The slide 36 has a projection46 and a projection 47, the projection 47 cooperating with one face ofthe printing wheel, while the projection 46 is adapted to enter thegrooves -14 in order to coijperate with the shoulders or stops 4-5formed by the ends of said grooves. It is apparent that, when the slide36 is .moved in a direction to feed the work, the

projection 46 will move in one of the grooves 441 without producing anymovement in the printing wheel until the end of the groove is reached,after which the projection Will cooperate with. such end and shift theprinting wheel a distance corresponding to the worlr printed. Upon thereturn movement of the slide 36, the projection 47 will cooperate withthe printing wheel and return the latter to its initial position. '10the end that the printing wheel will not shift with the slide, until theprojection 46 is engaged with an end wall 45 of the slot, a spring arm48 is mounted on a slide. and acts on the printing wheel in a directionto hold the latter in its initial position, until a stop 45 has beenengaged by the projection 46..

In the operation of the invention, thework is placed face upward uponthe Work support and beneath the opening in the overhanging portion inthe casing. The printing wheel is'turned by means of the thumb wheel 9to present the desired word at the printing point, the indicator 10being em ployed for locating this word on the type wheel. The crankhandle 32 is now moved forwardly, thus drawing the rod 27 to the rearand causing the platen l6't0 be elevated due to the engagement of theprojections 20 with the slide After the work has been pressed againstthe printing wheel to pro duce the printing, the projection 46 on theslide 256 engages a stop 45 formedby' the inner end of one of the slots44;. This causes the. type wheel 1 to move with the slide 36 a distancecorresponding substantially to the length of the word which has beenprinted.

grooved upper face of the platen; Owing to vthe fact that the type facespenetrate the paper, the ink supplied to the type Wheel by the roller 11is caused to be absorbed by the and this renders the erasure of theprinted matter impossible, About the time that the printing wheel 1 hasreached the limit of its -feeding movement, the platen 16 lowers, due tothe fact that the projections 20 pass beyond the end of the slide 22.With the release of the handle 32 the printing wheel 1 returns to itsnormal position, and the slide 22 moves forwardly over the projections20 until such time that said projections shall enter again the notches23, so that. the parts will assume the positions shown in i Fig. 2, thereturn of the parts being effected which the printing wheel moves in thedireotion of the printing line over the platen for feeding the work.

I believe myself to be the first to feed work in a printing machine bythe movement of a printing member in the direction of the printingline'over a platen which will simultaneously engage the work throughoutthe length of the printing line, the length of the platen being suchthat it will maintain its engagement with the printing element or memberduring the movement of the said element or member over the platen.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A printing machine embodyinga printing element having a printingtype line, and a platen, the platen having a surface for co operatingsimultaneously with the entire printing typo line of the printingelement, the printing element and the platen being relatively movable toproduce the printing action and the printing element being movablerelatively to the platen in the direction of the printing line toproduce the feeding of the work.

2. A printing machine embodying a printing element having a plurality ofparallel printing type lines, a. common plate-n arranged to coiiporatosimultamsously With any one of said lines throughout the length of saidline, the platen and the printing element having thrccrclativemovements, one

relative movement transversely of the print lug lines to cause theplaten to cooperate with. any line; another relative movement in whichone part moves toward the other part to efi'ect the printing; and stillan other relative movement in which the print ing element moves in thedirection of the printing line while cooperating with the platen inorder to feed the work over the platen.

3. A printing machine embodying a printing element mounted to turn abouta suit able axis and having a plurality of lines of type of diiierentlengths extending parallel with said axis, a common platen arranged tocooperate simultaneously with the entire length of a line of type, theprinting element while pressing the wort: against the being movablerelatively to the platenian the direction of the turning axis to shiftthe work on the platen.

A printing machine embodyinga print ing element having a printingsurtace and a platen cooperating therewith, the cooperat ing face ofthe-platen in the direction of the printing line being or greater lengththan that of the printing element in the direction of the printing line,and the printing element being movable relatively to the platen in thedirection of the printing line while such faces are cooperating in orderto move the work over the platen 5. A structure as set forth in claim4%, in which the platen is provided with parallel grooves lying parallelwith the direction of the printing line. I

6. A structure as set forth in claim a, in which the platen is providedwith parallel grooves lying parallel with the direction of the printingline and the printing element has its cooperating surface formed withpoints which enter into the grooves or" the platen to perforate the workso that the latter will be held to the printing element ,wliile the-saidelement is moved over the platen to feed the work.

7. A printing machine embodying a printing member having a plurality ofparallel lines of type thereon and two movements one transversely ofsaid lines of type to present any one of. the lines to printing pointand the other to shift the lines of type in the direction of theprinting line to feed the work, a platen, and mechanism for moving theplaten toward the printing member including a slideadapted when moved inone direction to shift the platen toward the printing member, to holdsuch platen in engagement with the printing member while the latter isshifting its type line in the direction of the printing line, and topermit such platen to move away from the printing member as the feedingof the work is completed.

8. A printing machine comprising a printing wheel movable in thedirection of its axis to feed the work and provided with a plurality ofstops situated at dilferent disg tances from one side of the 'WhQBL andmeek 9, A structure as set forth in dam: 8, in anism 01 shifting theWheel in the direcf'm which a, spring is mounted on the Operating 10 of:its enabodying an 0" 3mm" l'nen'zbex' t0 coiperate with the printinghaving a portion for cobewt lg' whsoT. 110 $110M thelafiztermfi-v'exneni'.

5 stops to Shift the Who-2% in (me, au'wc' gin-n and until portion ofthe operating member portion for wii'peming with the oppc ita engagesthe swbop.

side of the Wheel to shift the latter 31m p other dlrectlon. HENRY J.E'LANTW

